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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27197419">The Writer's Room</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/bentofaxmachine/pseuds/bentofaxmachine'>bentofaxmachine</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Show of A Lifetime [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Magic Kaito, 名探偵コナン | Detective Conan | Case Closed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Timelines, Angst, Black Organization Takedown (Meitaintei Conan), Flashbacks, Heist, Hurt/Comfort, Kaitou Kid Heist (Meitantei Conan/Magic Kaito), Kudou Shinichi | Edogawa Conan Needs a Hug, M/M, Slow Burn, Trust Issues, meetings gone wrong</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 17:06:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>11,347</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27197419</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/bentofaxmachine/pseuds/bentofaxmachine</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The Teitan-Ekoda Tokyo Unity Project goes into the writing phase of their project.  KID does his heist for the Angel's Tears in a new and improved(?) method.  Life changing moments ensue.  Shinichi is really going through it, and Kaito tries really hard to help.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Koizumi Akako/Sera Masumi, Kudou Shinichi | Edogawa Conan/Kuroba Kaito | Kaitou Kid, Kudou Shinichi | Edogawa Conan/Mouri Ran</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Show of A Lifetime [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1976119</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>108</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Beika Cafe</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“September night shows</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>When the solstice becomes dark </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>An Angel will fall</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Angel’s Tears are rather rare</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>For they hardly fall from grace”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hakuba Saguru furrowed his brow in confusion.  He tries to zoom in on the note in the car, looking for any hints which would demand a challenge from his fellow detectives.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Or, just him now.  The KID killer had just disappeared 5 months and 20 days ago.  His family in America wanted him to stay with them, and a seven-year-old can’t exactly say no to his parents, no matter how unnervingly intelligent they were.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Frustrated and confused, he turns around to face the girls.  “What is KID even thinking these days?  This heist note mixes Western legends with Japanese poetry patterns.  There’s no mystery.  We know exactly when it’s going to happen… where’s the mystery in any of this?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aoko and Akako exchange glances, as they always do after one of Saguru’s rants.  For someone who had “officially retired from pursuing KID” (his words!), the detective certainly complained about the thief a whole lot.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aoko frowned. “But is the note… easier?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know,” Saguru sighs dramatically. “For one thing, it’s painfully explicit.  As I mentioned before, we know when it's going to happen without any sort of mystery.  But on the other hand, it’s like I’m just overlooking something, but for the life of me I don’t know what! If only Kuroba-kun was here to confirm it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>For fucks sake, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Akako thinks.  Protecting Kaito from the English detective had been way more work than she could have ever anticipated.  It was necessary though, because for all of the ominous prophecies she would recite to him, he would probably never understand the danger of the crows until his dove had been hit. She muttered something, and Saguru fell silent and dazed.  He brought his hand up to the bridge of his nose.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What was I saying again?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I’ll hold up my end of the deal, KID.  The rest is up to you.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kaito impatiently weaved between the cars lined up at the traffic light.  The day of another heist had coincided with the Teitan-Ekoda Tokyo Unity Project team’s second meeting.  On Saturday, his texts had been blown up by a… passionate Sonoko-san who “</span>
  <em>
    <span>wanted to see some love in this world</span>
  </em>
  <span>”.  A couple of minutes later, she had also sent them the address to the Beika cafe along with a gif of a cat holding a knife captioned “join, or die”.  Texting a brief “OK” out of self-preservation was his only break from the heist planning all weekend.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That’s a lie. He had been caught thinking about Kudo and the meaning behind Akako’s foreboding prophecy so many times that Jii-chan sighed and graciously offered to finish the plans.  He mostly just laid in bed, wondering if who the crows were and if Kudo was doing the same.  He didn’t even know the type of gem if the gem was a diamond or not.  <em>Angel's tears... I'm just going to assume it's a diamond.</em></span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The heist would go well though.  He always managed to pull through.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Today, Kaito decided to bring Shinichi his gift.  The copy of </span>
  <em>
    <span>The Hound of the Baskervilles</span>
  </em>
  <span> Akako had shoved into his arms weighed down Kaito’s bag.  He’s pretty sure he had gotten another book for Shinichi, but between the planning and disruptive thoughts which occurred after the bathroom incident, he seems to have misplaced the novel.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>You know, if this goes well, KID may make a return tonight</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kaito says that before every heist, but today it seems more likely.  He chuckled as the light turned green, ignoring a family’s odd glances at him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The parking lot by Beika Cafe was empty, but he still parked his motorbike in a secluded corner.  Over time, Kaito had learned that it would fit in the back corner of a lot in such a way that he could avoid paying a meter.  He took off his helmet and checked his reflection with his phone’s front camera.  </span>
  <em>
    <span>Helmet hair. Great.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As the magician walked out of the lot while desperately fixing his hair, he heard a somewhat familiar voice call out “Kaito-kun!”.  Turning his head, he forced his lips to smile as Ran-san, Suzuki-san, and Sera-san waved as they made their way over.  </span>
  <em>
    <span>Tantei-kun is missing,</span>
  </em>
  <span> he thought.  But then he sees the boy was actually hidden behind his three friends and his smile turns genuine.  Kaito hadn’t realized how short Kudo was.  The drug had probably shrunk his body one too many times, and he would be stuck at that height forever.  Kaito feels bad, but he wouldn’t be surprised if Kudo appreciated being able to easily hide these days.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How was your weekend?” he asked as he made his helmet disappear into a puff of smoke.  Everyone, including Kudo, looked impressed.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sera-san’s eyes widen.  “What kind of bike do you have? Mine’s a hand-me-down that I fixed myself!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kaito turned to the flat-chested girl.  "Mine's an American model, a vintage my parents used to use when they lived in France.  I can show it to you if you would like."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sera-san's eyes somehow widened even further, but before she could respond, Suzuki-san rolled her eyes and interrupted the flat-chested girl.  “Well <em>I</em> was going to hang out with Ran this weekend but her father went away on a case this weekend, and she has to tag along to moderate his drinking!”  So she was bitter.  </span>
  <em>
    <span>That would explain the odd texts.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ran-san looked extremely apologetic.  “I'm so sorry Sonoko, but his business has dropped a ton in the past couple of months.  My father isn't doing too great, especially now that he lost his reputation as the Sleeping Kogoro.”  She made a point to keep her eyes off of Kudo, who cleared his throat and looked at the ground.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Shit. Lighten the mood.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, Suzuki-san, what did you do instead? I can’t imagine someone like you wasting away their weekend.” He cringed as soon as those words came out.  He glances at Kudo.  “I mean, it’s fine to stay in, but, um, you just don’t seem like the… type?”  </span>
  <em>
    <span>Fuck.  This is a disaster.  </span>
  </em>
  <span>He had meant to drop some clues for Akako at some point but instead, he was accidentally insulting the one person he was supposed to protect. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, Kudo-kun, I didn’t mean it like that,” he apologized, but the other boy didn't say anything.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kudo seemed stuck in a trance, clearly not listening to what anyone had to say.  His eyes were still focused on the ground and slightly glazed over.  Judging by the 3 girl’s nonreaction, this was a regular reoccurrence.  Instead, Sera-san grabbed the other two girls by the elbow and pulled them forward.  Kaito was left standing with Kudo, assessing his current state.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Determined, Kaito refused to take his eyes off of the shorter boy.  He was about to grab Kudo’s shoulder to get his attention when he remembers - </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>As soon as he had finished dressing the wound, Shinichi jerked his hand away from the boy, protecting it close to his chest.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Right, so no physical touch.  He tried waving his hand in front of Shinichi’s eyes, but it didn’t register.  Different phrases, different voices, and different names all fell flat.  5 minutes later,  Kaito sighed.  Times like this made him mourn for the old days, a time when he could captivate Edogawa Conan with simply a couple of words.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Tantei-kun.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kudo jerked up, looking around wildly.  His breathing was erratic, but indigo locked onto cerulean, and eventually, it slowed to a regular breath.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <em>That worked?</em>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you okay, Kudo-kun?  I’m the one who helped you in the bathroom last week, Ku-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kuroba Kaito, magician.  Yeah, I remember,” he replied with a short tone.  Kudo winced and quickly added on, “shit-I mean shoot, sorry, I didn’t mean to come off as an asshole, I’m sorry, I just- that name-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kaito held up a hand to silence him.  It’s best if they don’t bring up the nickname right now.  “The girls left without us, so we should probably go to the cafe.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kudo blinks.  “Oh, right,” is all he says as they begins to make his way down the street.  It’s quiet for a couple of moments, until Kaito looks over.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How's the hand?” he asks, gesturing to the healing wounds.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fine, thanks.  It healed quickly,” he responded, glancing over at Kaito.  He was rubbing his other thumb over the wounds, a good sign that the wound had closed up cleanly.  “How did you do that, though?  Not many people our age are proficient with first aid, especially in Japan.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kaito smirks.  “I’m just experienced, Kudo-kun.  I have a tendency to injure myself while practicing magic, which Aoko and the others can attest to.  Oh! By the way, I have a gift for you,” he added on, holding up his bag.  Kudo’s eyes narrowed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How could you know what I want?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kaito waved at Suzuki-san and Ran-san, who waved back cheerfully through the window display.  The shock on Kudo’s face was evident.  Kaito looked back at him and winked.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I have my sources, and I’m quite the people charmer.  But,” his typically smooth voice turned serious, “If I’m ever too much, just tell me and I’ll walk away for a bit, okay?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shinichi shrugged indifferently.  “I can’t foresee us spending too much time together anyway,” he responds, opening the door for the two of them.  Kaito was glad the other boy couldn’t see him cough lightly, struggling to keep his poker face intact.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They don’t notice that the teenage girl detective had been standing just past the door, assessing their body language and listening to the last part of their conversation.</span>
</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We should set you up with Kuroba-kun,” Sonoko said suddenly.  She and Ran were watching Kaito-kun struggle with Shinichi.  They had already sat down at a table a while ago and had ordered their drinks.  </span>
  <em>
    <span>One more minute and I’ll go out,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Ran promised herself.  They knew that when Shinichi was like this, there was little to do besides waiting for it to pass. Kaito-kun seemed determined to try though and Ran appreciated the effort.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shinichi could use someone like this in his life.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She kept her eyes trained out the window.  “I thought you were set on me and Shinichi,” Ran retorts, distracted.  Suddenly, Kaito-kun whispered something into Shinichi’s ear which caused him to jerk out of his trance.  Her eyes widened.  “Holy shit, Sonoko, look!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sonoko sighed loudly and ignored her.  “But he’s perfect for you!  He looks like Kudo-kun, but actually enjoys being around people! He’s like what Shinichi-kun would be if he wasn’t so-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Look up, Sonoko!” Ran exclaims.  When she finally does, her jaw drops.  Kaito-kun was the first person ever to be able to pull him out of the trance, including herself.  She resolved to ask for the ‘magic spell’ later.  Kaito turned their way and waved.  The two of them waved back and Sonoko leaned over.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You know it’s a joke, right?  I’m rooting for you and Shinichi.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Internally, Ran groaned.  </span>
  <em>
    <span>If only you knew, you’d understand why I’m not into Shinichi.  </span>
  </em>
  <span>But Sonoko meant well and it’s not her secret to share, so she smiled gratefully and thanked her best friend anyways.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Finally, Shinichi and Kaito-kun entered the cafe and made their way over to the table.  Sera-san slipped in silently and positioned herself so it seemed like she had come from the bathroom.  Oh her way to her seat, she leaned over and whispered, “He’s odd, but definitely not Organization.  As he said, they’re probably gone.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ran’s shoulders sagged with relief as the Ekoda kids piled into the cafe.</span>
</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shinichi feels really, really bad for their waiter.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He knew her full name - Nakamura Hanako - because she was new here and introduced herself with her first name even though her tag had only had her family name “Nakamura” on it in engraved, the silver text under a plastic pin which say “Be nice, I’m New!”.  The poor woman’s face had filled with fear as she approached their table to take their order.  He smiled apologetically as Ran ordered for him, a habit that had carried over since the Conan days.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Since you lied to her every day.  You’ll never live it down.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Now is not the time, he tries to tell his brain.  </span>
  <em>
    <span>Too bad you’re not in control.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He hates it. But yeah, he’s got no control over it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The group spoke loudly, allowing him to escape his thoughts.  From the other end of the table, he heard an exasperated Kuroba-kun yell out “I am NOT Kid, Hakuba… drop it,” which he can safely assume to be a regular interaction.  When Nakamura-san brought over the first tray of drinks Sonoko and Nakamori-san were having a passionate debate about the ethics of KID heists.  By some miracle, she dodged Nakamori-san’s emphatic gestures to pass Kuroba-kun his large chocolate… </span>
  <span>something</span>
  <em>
    <span>…</span>
  </em>
  <span> that was topped with whipped cream.  She also got the two debating teens their drinks without an incident.  Just as she was beginning to serve Hakuba his tea - </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>- a loud hiss escaped his lips.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh no, I am so sorry, Kudo Shinichi!  Are you okay?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He looked down at his left thigh, damp with tea and throbbing lightly.  He ignored the fact that the waitress already knows his name because it’s a rather normal occurrence in Tokyo.  “It’s nothing,” he responded through gripped teeth.  To his dismay, everyone had begun to make a commotion over it, offering their napkins and barraging him with “Are you okay?”s over and over again.  Everyone but Kuroba-kun, that is.  </span>
  <span>The magician was immersed in something on his tablet with his headphones in.  He wondered if it’s for the KID heist tonight.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Stop being suspicious of everyone.  Your paranoia will be your downfall.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He excused himself to the bathroom since the throbbing wouldn't go away. Other patrons were beginning to give their group ugly looks and it seemed likely that the group wouldn’t be invited back.  They really should have expected this, since Sonoko had chosen not to do this at Poirot cafe for fears of being too disruptive to the staff and other guests.  She should have realized that those exact same fears would apply to any other cafe they went to.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>But you have no backbone and were too weak to say anything.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Somehow, he found his way to the bathroom.  He locked the stall and tried to pat down the tea on his pants.  It’s useless, of course, since the cheap toilet paper left a trail of tightly rolled tubes.  He also lowered his pants partway to check the burns on his thigh.  </span>
  <em>
    <span>Just a first-degree burn</span>
  </em>
  <span>.  He exhaled a breath, relieved the wound would heal naturally.  He’s faced worse anyway.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Just as Shinichi reached for the lock, the bathroom door opened suddenly.  </span>
  <em>
    <span>Gods, don’t let it be Kuroba-kun</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he prayed, staying as still as possible.  The magician was around too much, and he was never in control when they spoke (even though they had only done so twice).  The man was definitely not Kuroba-kun though.  He was muttering to himself and then stopping for multiple moments, tapping his toe on the tile.  </span>
  <em>
    <span>A phone call.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The man leaned against the stall door, causing Shinichi to jump.  He was stuck in the stall for the time being, which reminded him of-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>The closet’s dimensions were 3 of his body width by just an inch short of his height as Kudo Shinichi.  That’s all he knew, besides the fact that he probably wouldn’t see the light of day again.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-he really doesn’t want to do this today.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He focused on his breathing like Sera had once taught him and tried to forget everything else.  It was a temporary fix that wouldn’t last longer than a minute or so, but it would buy him time.  The man began to speak, but this time it was clear.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I understand boss, I have my eyes on them now.  Kudo-kun is nowhere to be seen.” A pause.  “Yes, sir.  I understand.”  The man washes his hands and heads out, leaving behind a panicked Shinichi in the stall.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That voice was unmistakably his teacher, Yamaguchi-sensei's.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He stumbled out of the stall and threw cold water onto his face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>What’s he doing here? Had he followed them?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Are you stupid?  He’s supposed to be here!</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Oh, right.  He’s in charge of the project.  </span>
  <span>Shinichi rubs his face with his hands and looks at himself in the mirror.  Maybe, finally, he’s losing his detective’s eye.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When he gets back, everyone looks concerned.  Shinichi looks around, confused.  “Was Yamaguchi-sensei here?  I saw him in the bathroom.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sera frowned.  “It was weird.  He saw us, said hi, and went to the bathroom.  We never saw him leave.  Did you hear anything?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Nothing important,” he responded quietly.  So his detective skills were fine and Yamaguchi-sensei was another suspicious entity to track.  Damn.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He returned to his now cold coffee, where a festive bag with blue and white polka dots sits in his seat.  It must be Kaito’s gift.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, Kudo-kun!  Kaito wanted to give that to you personally but he had to run out early.”  Nakamori-san looks up at him and smiles.  “That idiot was so excited to give it to you, so I can’t imagine why he would leave before he could.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hakuba stretched his back dramatically against his chair. “Leave him alone.  He’s getting ready for the KID heist tonight.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why? Is he a fan?” Shinichi asked, clearly intrigued.  Nakamori-san crossed her arms and pouted.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hakuba is convinced that Kaito is KID even though he doesn’t have any evidence!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s not true!  I think he’s KID because I have so much evidence!  Starting wi-”  Hakuba stopped talking mid-sentence, seeming to have lost his place.  A smooth, clear voice rang out in its place. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Of course Kaito-kun isn’t KID.  His ego is too big to let such a character disappear into the night.”  The girl, Koizumi-san, winks at him.  In another world, he would have found her seductive and beautiful.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A couple of moments later, Hakuba returned to defending his side in full force.  The volume in the cafe increased, and they attract a ton of attention to the table.  The manager looks ready to kick them out.  The waitress never came to refill their orders, either.    </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Regardless, he decides that he likes the Ekoda kids, since there’s no attention on him anymore.  Kuroba-kun, on the other hand… he shakes his head.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shinichi looks at the gift bag and pulls out a note.</span>
  <span></span><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Kudo-kun,</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>As promised, here is your gift.  I hope it makes</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>your days a little lighter, even if you’ve already seen it </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>a thousand times.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Kuroba Kaito</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shinichi pulls out the gift and frowns.  It’s a copy of </span>
  <em>
    <span>The Hound of the Baskervilles</span>
  </em>
  <span>, but given what he already knew about the Kuroba-kun, it seemed impersonal and uncharacteristic. The sentiment was nice, but that novel was never his favorite.  Besides, it was new and ordinary, and he was anything but that.  Kuroba Kaito was an enigma, impossible to understand.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Something in him hopes that one day, that would change.</span>
</p>
<p></p><div>
  <p> </p>
</div>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'll be honest: this part of the story is compelling (I hope!), but it's the part that I'm looking forward to the least to continuing. Regardless, there's good shit coming up so we persist :)</p><p>Next Chapter: KID's heist!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The Angel's Tears</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ladies, gentlemen, and fellow friends!  Welcome to the heist of the Angel’s Tears.  Be prepared for an autumn night like no other.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kaito threw on his slim black pants and a matching shirt and cap.  This uniform had replaced the flamboyant suit and top hat he had donned in another life.  But the world had entered a new era of Kaitou KID: one who was truly the phantom of the night.  The thief himself hadn’t made a physical appearance in months.  His fanbase had shrunk, but the ones who remained were as faithful as ever.</p><p> </p><p>He checked his phone: it’s 6:00 pm.  They would make it to the Ekoda Classic Art Museum on time, if not earlier.  Tonight's heist would occur at 8:00 pm, in time for the moon to appear on the Autumn Equinox.</p><p> </p><p>Curious, Kaito checked social media pages to see what people had to see.  Overall, the response was typical: speculation over the thief’s disappearance, promotions for various manifestation rituals happening on site, and fervent debate over the sudden disappearance of Conan Edogawa, the KID killer (<em>Where is he? Has KID sacrificed his physical form to the gods to keep the child away? </em>My fans expect too much of me, he thinks while smirking.)</p><p> </p><p>There were also hate pages beginning to show up when fans became fed up with KID’s revamped reputation as an actual Phantom Thief.  He did his best to ignore them, but every once in awhile… </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> KID’s weakest notice yet.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> -Hakuba Saguru (@saguru.london) </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Not that he needed Hakuba’s confirmation on this.  Kaito knew the heist note was distracted and strangely cryptic, but all he could think while he wrote it was his Tantei-kun’s lost eyes.  It had been painful to expect a piercing, blue glare but be greeted with an indifferent and muted gaze.  Reuniting with a disinterested Tantei-kun had reminded Kaito why his heists stopped being such a show in the first place.  <em> Things could never be the same after my favorite critic left me behind. </em></p><p> </p><p>That’s not important right now.  Currently, KID has one mission: a heist for the Angel’s Tears.</p><p> </p><p>By some miracle, he had managed to put all of those thoughts aside that afternoon to absorb Jii-chan’s meticulous research in class and in the cafe.  It had been difficult to dodge Aoko’s attacks and Hakuba’s calculating glares, but he had eventually confirmed that yes, the Angel’s Tears is indeed a diamond, and a valuable one at that. The gem had been brought over from France to display in a limited-time exhibit known as the Bishop’s Collection.  The owners were a wealthy, naive French couple who hadn’t hired a private contractor for security.</p><p> </p><p>Kaito left the meeting early in order to scout the museum.  It had cost him Kudo’s reaction to his book, but work came first.  The gem was displayed in the middle of the exhibit, in a rather small aquarium that was bolted onto a steel display stand.  The aquarium was sealed with silicone from the inside and outside.  The glass was about a centimeter thick, so naturally, it was very heavy.  Jii-chan didn’t need to tell Kaito about the aquarium though: they had been the ones to sell it to the police and Kaito had been the one to deliver it to Inspector Nakamori (without him knowing, of course).</p><p> </p><p>It was a simple setup.  Kaito would have been offended by the lack of effort on behalf of the police had he forgotten that there’s no real thief to catch anymore.  Police headquarters had stopped funding elaborate traps once they realized that the thief had truly become a phantom, an illusion of the night.</p><p> </p><p>Jii-chan called for him.  Kaito sat up from his desk and pressed the full-sized portrait of his father, but not before looking up at his still yet twinkling eyes and whispering, “maybe today”.  The hidden basement looks the same as it had when it was first rediscovered, except for a new, innocuous van they had invested in after flying into a site stopped being an option.  He greets Jii-chan with a dramatic bow and nostalgic grin.</p><p> </p><p>“Shall we?” </p><p> </p><p>Jii-chan smiled at the return at Kaito’s KID voice.  It’s no secret that the older man missed the old, flamboyant KID, and Kaito is thankful every day that he helped to begin the new era of KID with (almost) no questions.</p><p> </p><p>With a dramatic flourish, he walked around the van to open the passenger side door for the thief.  He smiles and crawls into the van.  It was bought cheaply, and Kaito had taken the opportunity to test his mechanical skills while refurbishing it.  Now, it’s the epitome of well-loved: personalized and held together with blood, sweat, and tears.  Kaito hugged his knees and pulled them onto the seat.  He pretended that Kudo wasn’t on his mind,  hoping that Jii-chan didn’t notice the pensive look on his face.  <em> If only Tantei-kun could see my heists. </em> </p><p> </p><p>The old man looked over at Kaito with a paternal, knowing smile.</p><p> </p><p>“Botchama, is Kudo-kun on your mind again?”</p><p> </p><p><em>Shit</em>. So he’s not hiding it as well as he thought.  Kaito opts to say nothing, but the non-answer is confirmation enough for the older man.  Jii-chan’s eyes returned to the road, but the smile remained.</p><p> </p><p>“Your poker face isn’t so effective on me, you know.”</p><p> </p><p>Kaito looked out the window and grumbled.   Both of them pretend that Kaito’s cheeks aren’t flushed bright red.  The situation was getting more awkward by the moment, but it was pretty clear that Jii-chan was oblivious to the tension. Kaito considered using a smoke bomb but remembered the no-magic-in-the-van rule.  </p><p> </p><p>Eventually, thanks to the quiet music which Jii had the good grace to <em> finally </em>put on, the ride returned to its comforting and thoughtless silence. </p><p> </p><p>KID used to stand on rooftops before his heists, but Kaito finds more and more every day that he doesn’t mind the slower pace and lower stakes. In fact, every time they drive to the heist, he wonders if this is what normal families do: sit in silence and appreciate each other’s presence.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Outside of the Ekoda Classic Art Museum, the crowds were subdued.  Fans who were once fervent and high-spirited KID supporters with posters and chants had been replaced with clusters of séances and summoning rituals.  Vendors sold “third eyes” and mediums gave melodramatic warnings about the thief’s imminent demise.  People only spoke in hushed whispers, as if they would miss the phantom thief passing them in the wind.</p><p> </p><p>Inside, Inspector Nakamori was barking orders to his subordinates, but it wasn’t with the typical spirit that he had once possessed.  The yelling and hair-pulling were replaced with tired orders called out for maximum coverage and protection.  When the inspector wasn’t physically facing his self-proclaimed nemesis, his thinking was more streamlined and grounded.  Deep down, he was growing weary of chasing air but wasn’t about to let his officers on the rebranded Gem Protection Task Force know.  </p><p> </p><p>He sighed.  It was no secret that the inspector loathed the task force’s new name and added responsibilities.  At least his daughter had packed him a good lunch today.</p><p> </p><p>The inspector checks his watch, and calls out: </p><p> </p><p>“5 minutes to the heist!”</p><p> </p><p>The police are shuffling to get into their usual positions.  Others, who were already there, shift from foot to foot, waiting for further orders.  The officers are each 2 meters apart from another and stand amongst the art viewers.  It’s a swift process without any secondary school (or elementary school) detectives around. </p><p> </p><p>4 minutes to the heist.</p><p> </p><p>Some of the more superstitious police clutched their prayer beads.  A group of the Gem Protection Task Force stopped at a temple and prayed for good fortune before arriving at the museum.  The more skeptical ones roll their eyes at the beads, but they glance out the floor-to-ceiling windows, wondering if a familiar hang glider will appear among the Ekoda skyline.</p><p> </p><p>3 minutes to the heist.</p><p> </p><p>In a last-ditch effort, the police let loyal KID fans into the exhibit.  They remembered KID’s first heist notice when he had disappeared: <em> With the proper audience, I will be revived.  </em>They storm the exhibit, causing anyone with a careful eye see the aquarium holding the Angel’s Tears shift slightly from the vibrations.</p><p> </p><p>Among them, a father-son duo, wearing matching hats with ‘KID’ written onto them with bold littering.  The room is now overwhelmingly crowded, with people squeezed into the room so it’s nearly impossible to move.  The few serious museum-goers who remained grumbled various obscenities and forced their way to an empty exhibit.</p><p> </p><p>2 minutes.</p><p> </p><p>Fans began their final summoning rituals, getting in circles with 4 or 5 people each and chanting in a foreign language.  Many of the officers, to Inspector Nakaomori’s dismay, were caught in the middle of these hushed cries. </p><p> </p><p>“Get to a point where you can charge the gem,” he whispered to the walkie system.  All of them tried to move towards the stand.</p><p> </p><p>1 minute.</p><p> </p><p>Most of the task force has the gem insight, but can’t get past the barricade of fans who crowd the stand.  Everyone’s hands were clasped together.  A young teen stood out from the rest of them, counting down the moments until the hour would strike 8:00.</p><p> </p><p>“Three, two, one…” </p><p> </p><p>The clock hits 8:00 pm.  The tall windows in the exhibit suddenly opened in a rhythmic manner.  A heavy wind from the outside surged in, and everyone huddled and put their hands up to their faces protectively.  When the wind died down slightly, a collective gasp was heard among the crowd and the officers.   </p><p> </p><p>For a moment, everyone in the exhibit was suspended in time.  </p><p> </p><p>No one had seen anything quite like it; crimson, scarlet, and golden leaves swirling around them.  New England-esque autumnal leaves fluttered through the windows into the exhibit.  They took their time falling, occasionally lifted back into the air from a gust of wind.  The leaves took their time falling covering the ground and the exhibits in a carpet of vibrant colors. Even the police were captivated by the sight until the final leaf fell.   Some even pick up a leaf to press in a heavy book to preserve the moment.</p><p> </p><p>Regardless of the terrible things people had said about tonight’s notice, there was no denying that this was the most beautiful heist in a long time, if not ever.  </p><p> </p><p>Kaitou KID had yet to lose his touch.</p><p> </p><p>Slowly, everyone remembered why they were there.  Curious eyes traveled to the Angel’s Tears.</p><p> </p><p>Of course, there was no gem in the aquarium anymore.   The floor surrounding the stand was soaked.  Meanwhile, the aquarium was empty, aside from a completely dry notecard and a few crimson leaves.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> I have obtained the Angel’s Tears. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> I hope you marveled at the sights inside of the exhibit, </em>
</p><p>
  <em> but remind you to look beyond, too. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Inspector Nakamori pressed his hands onto the empty aquarium, squinting his eyes to see the note through the distorted glass.  He stood up again in a familiar, confident stance.</p><p> </p><p>“Kaitou KID is here tonight! Men, divide up into your squads and comb every corner of this damn museum?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, sir!” came the uniform response.  With that, the stampede of officers went off to search for the thief.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Kaito shook his head, laughing silently as Inspector Nakamori misinterpreted the note.  He was implying that he would leave the gem in the museum’s gift shop or something, but this would buy him time regardless.  He slipped away from the commotion and checked his sneakers to make sure that there wasn’t a path of leaves to the emergency stairwell.</p><p> </p><p>A couple of minutes later, Kaito and Jii met on the roof and barricaded the door behind them.  It had become a ritual after KID heists, partly for the nostalgia and to honor his father’s memory in the moonlight.  Kaito looked at the moon with a soft smile.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> I hope I’m making you proud, Oyaji. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>After a moment, Jii-chan deflated his fatsuit.  His body morphed into a bulky, geometric shape, which flattened further when the older man procured a nearly empty aquarium tank with the Angel’s Tears in it.  He handed the aquarium to Kaito and stretched his back.</p><p> </p><p>“This thing was heavy! I hope I’m not too old for these heists.”  </p><p> </p><p>Kaito laughed.  “Of course not.  But next time, I’ll take care of the physical part.”</p><p> </p><p>The magician procured a hammer and smashed a side panel of the aquarium.  There was still some water left in the aquarium, but overall, </p><p> </p><p>They had been able to get rid of most of the water by removing the silicone used on the base edges of the aquarium.  By using a Penta-80 solution, it would soften and easily chisel it off.  The water then leaked out of the aquarium and was quickly swapped with the one that Jii-chan had generously brought in through his fatsuit with the note and several leaves in it.  </p><p> </p><p>Luckily, everyone was too distracted by the sudden wind to pick up on the light kerosene scent.  <em> Although Tantei-kun most certainly would have </em> , he lamented <em> . </em>  Without his detectives around, the heists were so much easier to plan.</p><p> </p><p>Moving the aquarium had brought a different set of challenges, but Kaito had found the solution when he looked up “autumn” on a whim.  Through meticulous planning, The mechanics of the windows had been installed by Jii-chan that day and connected to a single remote.  Crimson and orange leaves blew into the exhibit in massive volumes as dramatically as Kaito had planned for.  It provided a cover for the 2 thieves to quickly carry out the swap.  By the time the audience’s attention had returned to the aquarium tank, it was filled with the leaves and KID note.  Obviously, there was no gem.</p><p> </p><p>Kaito would call it genius, but it really was just a simple matter of deflecting and hiding in plain sight.  </p><p> </p><p>He returned his attention to the smashed aquarium and carefully fished out the gem.  It was heavier than he had expected, sparkling innocently under the cheap lights placed on the museum’s roof.  Jii-chan disconnected the meticulously cut gem from its golden frame and returned it to Kaito.</p><p> </p><p>He held it up to the moon.  Kaito’s eyes widened as he held up a scarlet leaf.</p><p> </p><p>Its colors matched the ones dancing inside the Angel’s Tears- no, Pandora.</p><p> </p><p>“I found it,” Kaito whispered in awe.  He didn’t magically make it disappear because of the risk.  Instead, the boy closed his hand around his hand and refused to open the fist.</p><p> </p><p>Then a gunshot rang out.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Has Lady Luck left my side? </em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Jii-chan, get the van ready!” he hissed.  Kaito doesn’t even wait to see if he listens.</p><p> </p><p>Instinctively, the boy ran towards the sound with his fist still closed around the Angel’s Tears.  Across the museum’s roof, he crouched behind one of the roof’s vents and watched the events under easy cover.  </p><p> </p><p>There were two figures: one slumped on the ground with labored breathing, and another cloaked and looming over the fallen body.  The cloaked one raised their arm.  A gun, presumably.  Another muted <em> BANG </em> rang out, but before he could see the aftermath, someone had grabbed his arm and restrained him from moving further.</p><p> </p><p>“Now is not the time to get reckless.”</p><p> </p><p><em> Akako.  </em>He should have known that the witch would be here.  She probably had been summoned to the roof as soon as Pandora was discovered, but her eyes ignored Kaito’s closed fist.  Instead, she looked up at his face with hints of irritation and desperation.</p><p> </p><p>“You can’t just go running towards a dying body!  What good are you protecting your dove if you’re too traumatized to do anything about it?”</p><p> </p><p>“But-”</p><p> </p><p>“It doesn't matter that there could be clues over there.  The less you see the more focused on Kudo-kun you remain.”</p><p> </p><p>“How can I protect him if I don’t know who he’s running from?”</p><p> </p><p>Silence followed.  Kaito crossed his arms, pleased that he had actually won an argument against the witch herself.</p><p> </p><p>Eventually, Akako sighed.  “You’re as insistent as ever,” she conceded.  Her voice was uncharacteristically devoid of mystery and riddles.  The witch sounded like a true high-schooler now.</p><p> </p><p>“Your nemesis, Snake, has just been killed by the crows which haunt your dove.  It’s a revival and resurgence, bigger and stronger than ever.  And they left you a gift,”  she says, ignoring Kaito’s shocked tears from hearing his father’s murderer had died.  “As much as I disagree, it seems important that you go get the gift.  It’s a good hint for what’s to come, just make sure to sweep for bugs before exposing your face any further.</p><p> </p><p>“Remember, your organization has collapsed, so now you have 2 jobs.  One,” she held up 1 finger, “is to protect Kudo Shinichi.  Two,” she raised her middle finger as well, “is to destroy that gem as soon as you get home.  Don’t let anything distract you from that.”</p><p> </p><p>Kaito didn’t even notice how hard he was clenching Pandora.  He opened his palm and stared at the diamond, clear and shiny in the safety of the pillar's shadow.  Entranced by its beauty, Kaito muses for a moment about how something so beautiful could cause so much destruction.  But suddenly, Kaito remembered where he was and closed his fist again.  He took a breath and revealed a practiced expression of honesty to the witch.</p><p> </p><p>“The gem will be destroyed tonight,” he vowed, “That way, there will be one less thing to distract me from him.”</p><p> </p><p>As soon as Akako’s grip relaxed, Kaito bolted around the corner of the pillar to confront the criminals.  However, there was no one there.  The only signs that any sort of showdown had occurred was the bottle of absinthe sitting next to a glass for the very alcohol with a stout, intricate stem and short bowl which were left behind.  A KID doodle was engraved onto it. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> An unwelcome gift for me… was I not as subtle as he thought?  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>He looked to Akako for answers, but as silently as she had appeared, she had disappeared into the night.  He was alone to take in the final moments of his final heist.  <em> KID did ultimately make a return, </em> he thought with a humorless smile, <em> just not for the proper audience </em>.  </p><p> </p><p>For good measure, he checked his hand for Pandora again.  Obviously, it hadn’t gone anywhere.  Kaito swept the roof for bugs again, and when he’s confident that no one has access to his face, the magician hastily shoved the bottle and glass into a backpack Jii-chan had left for him and slipped back down the stairs.  </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>When they get back to the Kuroba household, Jii-chan aids Kaito in destroying the gem.  All he does is hold open the portrait when they first get back so the thief can rush through.  Instead, he mainly stood behind and watched KID go through the process he had committed to memory.  Kaito smashed the gem into countless pieces and melted them further in an industrial kiln with scraps of various metal and stones.  The once clean-cut gem ended up as a smooth dark rock which no light could ever pass through.  Through his bedroom’s window, Kaito held the stone up to the moonlight. </p><p> </p><p>To both of their relief, Pandora had been reduced so an opaque stone.</p><p> </p><p>Kaito nodded at Jii-chan and they went back inside.  In the front hall, they stopped in front of the display filled with photos and memories: his mother’s various escapades, Toichi posing for his magic shows, and Kaito and Aoko on each first day of school each year.  In the center of it all is a family portrait of the smiling Kuroba family, complete with Jii-chan.  Kaito placed the stone next to it and searched his father’s eyes in the photo as he sometimes did.  Jii-chan places a soft hand on his shoulder, and Kaito is certain that they are thinking the same thing.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> He would be so proud right now. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>KID had died with Pandora and the organization.  Kaito was now free, but he didn’t know what to do with that information yet.</p><p> </p><p>Like a child, Kaito shifted his body to place his head on Jii-chan's shoulder.  He’s taller now, but it feels familiar to the weeks following his father’s death.  As silent tears finally fell down his face, the old man was there to rock him and remind him of how proud Toichi-sama would be.  For a moment, the world is limited to the two of them and the table of memories.  It’s comforting to be held like this.</p><p> </p><p>Kaito wonders if this is what it’s like to be in a normal family: comforting, peaceful, and a hint of melancholy and longing.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Surprise!  I didn’t know this gem was Pandora either until I had started to write the section and realized that it was the perfect gem for it.  Anyways, we're getting more Shinichi content in the next chapter, so don't worry :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. High-Five</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A phone call with Hattori Heiji and 2 group meetings that go wrong.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>They’re 15 minutes into the next meeting when Ran leaned behind Nakamori-san to tap Shinichi’s shoulder.  “I talked to Heiji-kun today.  He’s calling in 5 minutes, and the librarians won’t be happy if you take the call here.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Shit.  </span>
  </em>
  <span>So this time he doesn’t get a choice.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He bit the inside of his cheek and pretended to listen to Sonoko go on about the plot which she had more or less fully established in her mind, declaring that “The poor princess has been left alone with the precious necklace called the Princess’ Heart and begins to worry when a heist note has been sent out!  And of course, KID-sama is looking handsome and sneaky, but in the end, the power of LOVE defeats him and the thief is forced into night empty-handed!”  Somehow, she said this all in one breath.  As the heiress panted, a study group by them shushed them in a way that they haven’t seen since grade school.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Beika Public Library was probably not the best place for the group to meet up.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He checked his watch.  3 minutes left until the call.  He really wanted to ignore it, because he can’t stand the thought of Heiji seeing him again after the last time they had met.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>A gunshot.  A sudden weight on him, causing panic.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Yells of “Kudo-kun!”, “Oi, Kudo!”, and “Shinichi-san!”.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Release.  His hands are free.  Then his feet, his body, his mouth, and his-</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>-eyes.  Blinding lights.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>More yells, incoherent, and presumably his own.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Release again when someone picks him up and gently relieves him of the dark, muttering various affirmations of safety.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>As he’s pulled to the edge of consciousness, he hears someone muttering:</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“He’s too sensitive, his eyes dilated too quickly.  Get Kudo-kun to an ambulance as soon as possible.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There’s not much Shinichi remembered from his two weeks with the organization, but the day he had been saved was certainly one he’d never forget.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s because the last time Hattori saw him was hours after he had woken up that he’s been avoiding the calls.  He’s weak for doing so and he knows it; his mind even reminds him at least once an hour.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Forget.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He needed to forget.  A distraction would do.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I have a suggestion,” Shinichi blurts.  The entire group’s eyes shifted to him. Sonoko’s are challenging, Ran’s are suspicious, Sera’s are excited, and he suddenly regretted saying anything.  Shinichi shrunk into his seat at the sudden attention.  He scratched his ear and sent an apologetic glance over to Ran.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Uh… what if the Black Knight doesn’t end up with the princess?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sonoko gave an incredulous glare, but for some reason, Koizumi-san is giving him an amused look.  “Are you saying that the knight falls in love with the thief?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shinichi gripped the sides of his chair.  </span>
  <em>
    <span>Shit, no one else is supposed to know.  </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What? No, I-I’m not like that…” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Incompetent piece of shit.  Can’t even cover for yourself.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With astounding timing, his phone miraculously vibrated.  He jumped, more tense than necessary, and grasped for his phone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I have to take this,” he mutters before anyone could say anything.  The chair scraped loudly as he stood, so Shinichi avoided eye contact with the librarians who kept strolling past the group’s table, challenging them to leave as soon as possible.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Stepping through the exit, Shinichi instinctively scanned the street to make sure that no one was watching him.  He’d still get an FBI agent on his back every once in a while, but the days that he caught one were rapidly dwindling.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Putting some distance between him and the library, he reluctantly picked up the call by the fourth ring.  He held the phone an inch away from his ear because - </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“OI KUDO!  Did ya really think that ya could just forget me that easily?”  Heiji's voice cut through the speaker.  Praying his eardrums wouldn’t take too much damage, Shinichi let the Osakan go on.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“3 months!  That’s how long it’s been since I’ve spoken to you.  Not even a text.  It’s been even longer since we’ve actually met!  Are ya trying to ignore me or somethin’?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shinichi sighed.  He found an alley to hide in while taking the call, preparing his sleeping dart watch in case anyone came.  “I’m sorry, I’ve been busy with school work and physical therapy and-” well, that’s about it but he doesn’t need to know that. “-I’m sorry, Hattori.  It really just didn’t work out for me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Heiji just sighed.  “It’s okay.  Osaka isn’t the same without you and Nee- I mean, Ran coming to visit so much.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m trying to keep a low profile,” he responded, but both of them know that it’s not the full truth.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s no secret that even though they hadn’t talked, Heiji has been keeping meticulous tabs on him through Ran and the occasional Tokyo police detective he would nod his head at down the street.  Hattori heard Shinichi’s life is in shambles but he makes no effort to fix it.  He knows that even though the former detective spends nearly every hour in his house, the left-facing windows of the Kudo house are always covered with their curtains.  He’s probably deduced that the house hasn’t been cleaned for months, too.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>He knows everything, so why do you bother hiding?</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shinichi squeezed his eyes shut and slid to sit on the dirty concrete.  He didn’t care if the uniform was dirty at this point, but rather than unclean concrete, his butt met a soft cotton mat.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He muttered a long string of obscenities.  Dropping his phone and ignoring the sudden cry of “Oi, Kudo! Y’alright?”, he scrambled back to his feet, raised his watch, and looked around frantically.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There, right in front of him, was Kuroba Kaito.  The magician held his fingers to his lips and disappeared down the alley.  Weird.  He’s pretty sure Aoko was complaining that Kuroba-kun hadn’t shown up to classes all week.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>None of my business, </span>
  </em>
  <span>he thought. Shinichi’s not a detective anymore, though, and he misses his friend more than expected. So he whispered into the phone with his eyes still shut.  His voice was raw when he spoke.  “Hattori.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A beat of silence.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kudo, are you okay?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He cleared his voice.  “Yeah, I’m fine for now, but can you just tell me about Osaka?  Obviously none of the murder, but…” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The warmth on the other end of the line is impossible to miss.  “Yeah, just hold on a moment, okay?” The Osakan shifted slightly and began speaking.  “Did I mention that I helped a classmate catch a thief at their job?  It was a little ridiculous, but…” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shinichi listened to the detective talk about random shit.  His friends, new fan pages, and a recent case he worked on which resulted in praise from his father.   Everything is looking up for Hattori right now.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>It’s because he didn’t meddle in other people’s affairs.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“…and then Kazuha yelled at me!  Did I mention we’ve been dating for the past month or so?  It’s been great, we’ve-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Congratulations,” Shinichi interrupted with a soft chuckle.  “I should have stayed in touch so I didn’t miss so much.”  He wondered if Hattori heard the bitterness in his voice.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thanks!  It’s been going really smoothly, and we’ve spent so much time together.  Just last week…” a smirk that’s just too loud broke the detective’s train of thought.  “Nevermind, I’ll spare you the details.  Incidentally, have ya patched things up with Ran?  She doesn’t talk too much about your relationship these days.  Also something about a unity project?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shinichi bites the inside of his cheek.  He probably should have been better about keeping in touch with his friend, but even the thought of calling someone-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-not the time.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’ve been working on a project with some kids from another school.  Ekoda High, the one Hakuba-san is in? He’s here too.  Anyways, me and Ran aren't a thing anymore.  First of all, there’s no trust between us,” he wills himself to forget about those broken eyes on New Year’s Eve.  Suddenly, Shinichi’s hands are shaking and his mouth slips before his brain can stop it. “and also, she’s, uh, not my type.  I, uh… don’t like… girls?”  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He waited for the pause on the line to break while reprimanding himself.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Idiot. No one is supposed to know.  </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But Heiji was his best friend, even if they haven’t spoken in months, and he feels as though he owes him this at least.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Finally, Heiji spoke again.  “So you know, I just texted Kazuha to make plans to come to Tokyo as soon as possible.  We’re kinda busy, but I promise you’ll have a million questions from me to answer!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“As long as it’s not too long,” he responded warily, silently slumping his shoulders in relief.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Heiji guffawed, but when he had calmed down, the warm tone came back.  “I’m proud of ya, Kudo, really.  I hope you find a guy, but… no pressure? Wait, no, that doesn’t sound right…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As Hattori rambles on, Kuroba-kun slipped back into the alley, this time with his hands filled with snacks and a soda.  Shinichi focuses his energy on the phone call and whispers into the speaker.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, but I have to go now.  Just… don’t tell anyone and don’t worry about me, okay.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The detective’s tone sent chills down his spine.  “I’ll always worry about you,” he said, before hanging up on Shinichi.  Grinding his jaw, he just stared at his phone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>This is what you were worked up over?  It was nothing.  Why do you bother trying if nothing ever feels right?</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Thankfully, his thoughts were disrupted by a warm sensation suddenly hitting his cheek.  He jumped back, ready to defend himself against a stranger, but was instead disrupted by a slightly terrified Kuroba-kun who had dropped all of his goods.  The source of warmth has yet to be found.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What are you doing here?” Kuroba-kun asked.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I was here first,” Shinichi retorted, still panting.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kuroba-kun sat down, then motioned for the other boy to do the same.  He only did so after the magician had sat across from where he had been sitting.  The magician made a can of coffee appear and tossed it to Shinichi.  It’s still warm.  He grumbled his thanks in response.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“My night job ended a couple of days ago.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shinichi crosses his arms.  “So why do you skip school for that?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He tried to convince himself that anyone could see Kuroba-kun’s eyes cloud up for a moment.  However, it’s gone in an instant, and the magician is throwing a bag of chips in Shinichi’s face, singing,  “That’s none of your business.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They sat in silence, mainly because Shinichi had nothing to say and Kuroba-kun was nearly inhaling everything he had bought.  He paused for a moment, looking at Shinichi oddly.  Piercing yet warm eyes, he remembered that feeling but from where… </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’re really just 2 normal high schoolers, huh?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shinichi cocked an eyebrow in confusion. There’s nothing normal about an unstable former detective and his nosy acquaintance.  Shinichi liked being called normal, though, and for now, they’re just 2 teenagers.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I guess we are.”  They both sat in the alley, maintaining the silence aside from an occasional </span>
  <em>
    <span>crunch</span>
  </em>
  <span> or wrapping.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Just as he reached for a second bag of chips, Shinichi’s phone vibrated, breaking the moment. He picked it up while smiling apologetically to Kuroba-kun, who had already disappeared.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey.  Sorry I was out here for a while.  I can come back if you need me to.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ran’s panicked tone rang through the other side of the line.  “Shinichi, we just got kicked out of the library. Meet us outside of the library!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Without responding, he hangs off the phone.  Shinichi groaned and stretched his limbs.  He wondered if Kuroba-kun as he strolled over to the group waiting awkwardly outside of the entrance.  Although everyone seemed rather unbothered by the whole situation, Sonoko’s had a sheepish look on her face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sorry guys, we’ll use my house for the next meeting.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Nakamori-san smiled kindly.  “You don’t have to offer your house up if it’s too much.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sonoko smirked.  “You don’t know who you’re talking to,” she begins, winking, “I am the heiress to the Suzuki fortune!  There’s plenty of space, and if there’s not, we can always use the guest house.”  Of course, she was too busy patting herself on the back to notice that everyone but Hakuba’s eyes bugged out at the mention of a </span>
  <em>
    <span>guest house.  </span>
  </em>
  <span>The London detective instead engaged her in a lengthy conversation about galas and other high society things.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gradually, the group began to make their way towards the Beika Cafe.  Shinichi remained behind, as usual, craning his neck occasionally to check for stalkers.  At some point, Koizumi-san slowed down her pace and matched her strides with Shinichi.  Her cheeks reddened and she focused on her shoes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m not really one to apologize, but I noticed I made you uncomfortable earlier in the library, and I’m sorry about that.  It was out of line for me to say.  I did think it was a good idea though, and tried to convince them after you took the call.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>However rehearsed it sounded, Koizumi-san looked guilty and genuinely remorseful.  It took an awkward moment until Shinich properly processed what had been said to him to press his lips up into some semblance of a smile and look up at her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She seemed to be waiting for a response, but Shinichi said nothing.  He had done enough for today.  </span>
  <em>
    <span>And it made someone feel like that.  </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Also, we were talking while you were out of the library and were thinking… everyone is going to be on a first-name basis from now on.  So-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She was cut off by Aoko screaming “Bakaito!” next to a mortified Hakuba who now had fluorescent yellow hair.  Shinichi winced and looked away, not because he felt bad for the detective but because his hair was reflecting too much sunlight.  In a fluid movement, Kaito somehow dodged the girl’s attack and ended up between the two stragglers with an arm around Akako and a respectful distance away from Shinichi.  He whispered something into Akako’s ear and then revealed a pair of sunglasses while turning to face the other boy.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“For your Hakuba needs,” he offers with a smirk.  Shinichi glanced at Kaito suspiciously who instantly assured that “Don’t worry, these glasses aren’t the trick ones,” before taking them himself to double-check.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He ignored how their fingers brushed one another during the interaction.  After a thorough investigation, Shinichi put on the sunglasses and mumbled his thanks. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kaito abruptly stood in front of Shinichi, making him halt and nearly run into the other boy.  He looked up with an annoyed look on his face, but Kaito’s smiling eyes and slack jaw morphed it into confusion.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You look like a…” Kaito hesitated as if rethinking what he had to say, “…a movie star!  Those frames look great on you.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shinichi awkwardly stepped around the magician and finished the walk without checking his surroundings.  Luckily, the walk was only another minute, and the group was quickly seated again at the familiar table with the same drinks as last time.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was sitting at the end of the table across from Hakuba.  The detective leaned in.  “Kudo-kun, what do you think about Kuroba-kun?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shinichi considered the question.  He lacked personal boundaries and was overall loud and annoying, that’s for sure.  But at the same time, it had been so long since someone had made an active effort to befriend him.  It was probably the first time since he had returned to his original body.  He opened his mouth to respond but was distracted by a commotion behind the counter.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“...incompetent at your job!  Nakamura-san, stop asking questions and </span>
  <em>
    <span>serve our clients.  </span>
  </em>
  <span>I’m not dealing with this anymore,” a manager yelled.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The waitress, who Shinichi recognized as the one from last time, huffed.  “How could you say that?  You’re never here to supervise the workers anyways.”  Her eyes had a hint of manic energy to them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The manager’s nose flared.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re fired.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>What happened next was even more bizarre.  Nakamura-san made a show out of taking off the apron and apologizing to every table before taking a bow at the entrance and pressing a button on her phone.  As phones began vibrating, she skipped out of the cafe.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Screams came out of every corner of the restaurant.  Phones from every customer came up with obscene messages sent by the manager himself. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Apparently, he was too busy harassing the workers to properly manage them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shinichi winced and shut off his phone.  He’s hit with a wad of paper.  When he glared down the table, Kaito grinned and mouthed </span>
  <em>
    <span>sorry.  </span>
  </em>
  <span>With an eye roll, he uncrumples it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Police will be here soon.  Take back exit.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shinichi makes a mental note to thank Kaito later.  He slipped through the kitchen while ignoring several glares, and began to walk home.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>On his way back, he noticed a coupon for a new ramen place was crumpled in his pocket. It definitely wasn’t there until at least the beginning of all of the commotion.  His breathing became unsteady as he looked back.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>No one there.  </span>
  <em>
    <span>But there’s always someone watching.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Picking up his speed, he trained his eyes to the street.  As usual, Shinichi made a point to look at the ground as he passed the empty lot next door and slammed his front door shut.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Idiot. Idiot. Idiot. Don’t just let your guard down.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>As promised, their next meeting took place at the Suzuki family’s estate.  It had yet to start, though, and so the group was chatting casually amongst each other: Sonoko engaged Hakuba in a colorful history of the Suzuki estate, Kaito, Ran, and Aoko were discussing Kaitou KID’s latest heist (was Shinichi the only one to detect the melancholy in Kaito’s eyes?), and Akako was hanging onto every word that Masumi had to say about a recent case that she had solved.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shinichi was alone, but he didn’t mind.  Nobody knew that he was there yet since he had just peeked through the door, so he decided to wander the hall a bit.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Those plans changed when he heard shouting surrounding the hallway.  </span>
  <em>
    <span>None of my business</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he thought before spinning on his heel and stalking back the other way.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He’s glad no one asked him questions anymore, since he really wasn’t in the mood to explain why he was panting or wiping sweat off of his forehead.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Oh, wait, except Kuroba Kaito did.  He immediately came over and gave Shinichi a rose.  Today, it was deep indigo.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you need anything? You look tired,” he whispered as they all got situated in one of the Suzuki estate's home theaters (?!).  Shinichi shook his head at Kaito and shifted his body to focus on the presentation projected onto the screen.  It’s titled “Teitan-Ekoda Tokyo Unity Project: The Princess’s Heart” and is covered with obnoxious hearts.  Sonoko went through the entire plot through the presentation; how the knight leaves the princess with a precious ruby necklace which KID sends out a notice for.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Which leads us to…” Sonoko clicked on a slide titled “THE HEIST”.  She grinned before starting up again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“On the day of the heist, KID-sama disguises himself as the Black Knight after slipping into the castle undetected.  He spends the whole day protecting the Princess and the Princess’s Heart.  It goes really well, too, and the Princess never even suspects the Knight is KID!  That is, until-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A dramatic click.  This slide just said “SURPRISE!” in obnoxious bubble letters.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The Princess was the Black Knight all along!  The real Princess and the real ruby has been back at the castle all along, in a hidden part of the castle.  Tragically, KID-sama must declare defeat and then retreat into the night.”  On cue, the lights came back on and Sonoko was met with a smattering of applause.  Shinichi kept his arms crossed and tried to hide the pensive look on his face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>They did this all without me?  Am I a useless asset to the group? Should I leave?</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As if he had been able to read Shinichi’s mind, Kaito leaned over.  “Don’t worry, they did this without me also,” he reminded him with a wink.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shinichi wasn’t sure if it was supposed to make him feel better or not.  Kaito crawled his knees onto the seat to face Sonoko, who was now fiddling with her laptop.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I feel like the Black Knight and Kaitou KID should end up working together.  Like the Black Knight learns KID’s true motives for stealing and vows to help him in the future.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The room went silent, and everyone was exchanging glances with one another.  Shinichi tried to shrink further into his leather seat.  Eventually, Akako was the one to break the silence with a giggle which made Kaito shudder behind him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kaito, Shinichi-san made the same comment yesterday!  Did you hear it from him?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His face didn’t change but the magician was clearly uncomfortable.  </span>
  <em>
    <span>Something about body language.</span>
  </em>
  <span>  Eventually, Kaito responded, “No, uh, I guess,” he turned to face Shinichi, holding a single hand up, “great minds think alike?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Is your mind that great?  It’s practically dying.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Regardless, Shinichi rolled his eyes and high fived Kaito back, who looked visibly relieved.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Of course, at that exact moment, the group began to hear screams down the hall and Sonoko ushered them through the estate’s secret hallways while trying to hide her flush.</span>
</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>They decided to go to the Ramen place that Shinichi had a coupon for for some reason.  Sonoko insisted on paying for everyone’s meal, fighting back aggressively against anyone who tried to decline.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kaito offered to take Masumi on his bike over to the restaurant.  The remaining 6 of them walked.  Shinichi did his thing in the back, as usual.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sonoko was deep in thought, wondering about where their next meeting spot would be.  She still can’t believe that her parents were fighting again.  Luckily, she had moved her room a month ago so she was far away from their raised voices which never seemed to disappear these days.  </span>
  <em>
    <span>Maybe I can call Makoto-san tonight,</span>
  </em>
  <span> she hoped.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She was disrupted by an out-of-place tree root, which nearly knocked her into the street.  Coughing, she glanced back at the group.  Ran had grabbed her just in time with concerned eyes.  “We’re not blaming what happened back there on you.  We’ll find somewhere new to meet, that’s all!”  Her friend smiled then turned to their acquaintances (slowly becoming friends, though) with a serious look on her face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“By the way, I haven’t seen Shinichi do anything of the sort like he did during the meeting in a long time.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Ekoda kids looked at her, confused.  Ran’s eyes widened.  “Oh, I’m sorry. I forgot you guys haven’t been with us so long… has it only been a couple of weeks?”  They all marveled at that until Ran became serious again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What I mean is that ever since Shinichi came off from his… leave of absence, he’s been really uncomfortable about physical contact.  Something must have happened while he was… gone, because he hardly ever lets me tap his shoulder anymore, much less even a high five.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She fell silent at a crosswalk when Shinichi was close enough to them.  After a moment of hesitation, Ran said ambiguously, “I’m glad we got to know all of you,” which somehow ends up in a group hug of Aoko, Sonoko, Ran, and reluctant Akako and Hakuba.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shinichi’s looking at the ground and suppressing a smile.  No one had realized Shinichi had heard every word of the conversation.  </span>
</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kaito took the extra helmet from Sera and made them disappear into the void again.  She looked like she had just had a spiritual awakening.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Holy shit, if men with bikes like that appeared on my doorstep, then I might actually date them,” she mused, glancing teasingly over at Kaito.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He grinned easily.  “Not many people know how to take care of a bike.  Strangely, out of all people, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Akako-san</span>
  </em>
  <span> is actually really well versed in taking care of bikes like these and she’s the only one I trust to hold onto it when I go away.”  This was true, but he decided not to mention the brief phase she had were her hobbies all mysteriously matched up with his own.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kaito watched Sera perk up at the mention of the witch.  He coughs awkwardly. “By the way, if you’re interested in her, I would just go for it.  You guys seem like you could be a good match.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She rolled her eyes in false annoyance.  “Thank you for your blessing,” she responded, and Kaito was certain there was some authenticity behind the comment.  “By the way, we’re late.  Everyone’s already there and they ordered for us.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, sorry about that,” he responded sheepishly.  Sera’s excitement was so obvious that he opted to take a longer route to the restaurant.  It’s not like she complained, though.  He opened the door for the girl and silently praised himself for not flinching from seeing Masumi anymore.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There’s an open seat next to Shinichi, so of course, Kaito took that seat.  The boy is clearly uncomfortable.  His chair was shifted so he had a full view of the restaurant, and his eyes scanned the room every time he had consumed some noodles out of his bowl.  He tensed further when a familiar figure approached the table.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kudo-tantei, I’m a huge fan!” Nakamura-san purred.  “I knew that I would get to see you again.  Did you bring that coupon?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The boy blinked several times and focused on his ramen without eating any of it.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Please stay away from me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well don’t you want to know who I am?  A mysterious server with phenomenal technology skills, if I do say so myself.  Got fired from my last job but got this one a couple of days later, don’t you want to know who I am?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Please stay away from me,” he repeated.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kaito instinctively stood up and reached for Shinichi’s shoulder.  It’s a sobering moment when he jerked his body away and the magician tried to not look offended.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kaito glanced over at Akako, trying to telepath a plea her way.  The witch pretended to ignore him, but in a quick moment, the waitress was stumbling away from their table with a confused haze in her eye.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>An awkward moment of silence consumes the group.  Sonoko, not one for it, stands from her seat and clears her throat. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her eyes were downcast and her cheeks were flushed a light pink. “I’m sorry my house didn’t work out as a meeting place, but it looks like we’re going to have to find another place to meet again.”  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aoko grabbed her arm sympathetically. “Don’t feel like that, it was so generous of you to offer your house!  Unfortunately, mine and Kaito’s don’t have the space to do the meetings…”  She looked up at Hakuba, who shook his head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“My house is full of confidential information that KID can’t be getting his hands on,” he said as a way of explanation, glaring at Kaito.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He rolled his eyes.  </span>
  <em>
    <span>It’s not like it’s going to be an issue anymore, anyway.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I… can do it if no one else can,” Shinichi offered.  He flinched at the sound of his own voice but made no moves to withdraw the invitation.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ran was proud.  It was obvious.  “So… Friday?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Once he nodded, the others followed, hesitant.  Sonoko paid for their meals and left the restaurant.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Before they opened the door, Shinichi violently whipped his back around to face the restaurant.  </span>
  <em>
    <span>Poker face, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Kaito told himself while trying to comfort the detective.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you okay?” Shinichi snapped back around.  It must have been a miracle that he hadn’t knocked anyone (or himself) over.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Y-yeah, I’m fine… just thought someone was watching me…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kaito looked back too, but there was no one there.  “It was probably just the waiter, not a huge deal.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shinichi looked like he didn’t believe him.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kaito split from the group first.  Revving up his engine, he couldn’t help but wonder what the other boy was thinking right now.</span>
</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>You idiot.  What have you done?</span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sorry, I really messed this chapter up.  I'm just releasing it now because it was driving me insane.  Hopefully, the next one goes better!  It's tons of Shinichi having a crisis and Kaito trying his best, so... see you soon?</p><p>On a lighter note, I wrote a short fic this week called "the mystery behind the magician’s lips".  I'm rather proud of this one, so feel free to check it out!</p><p>updated note on 2/15 2021: Hi this fic isn't dead!! I'll be back to it at some point, just have so many WIPs right now :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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